Pope Francis 'Shocked' By Gay Adoption Bill: Report

[PeaceNikki]

Pope Francis reportedly was "shocked" by a bill that would allow gay couples to adopt children in Malta.

Maltese Bishop Charles Scicluna told the Times Of Malta that he spoke with Pope Francis about the bill and the pope encouraged him to speak out against it.

The Holy See's reaction may come as a surprise to those who have viewed him as progressive on gay rights. LGBT magazine "The Advocate" even named him their person of the year, citing his comments about homosexuals. "Who am I to judge a gay person of goodwill who seeks the Lord?" he told reporters in Italian in July.

Despite his July comments, the pope has a long history of being against gay rights. He has come out strongly opposed to same-sex marriage and called it "a destructive attack" on God's plan.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/29/pope-francis-gay-adoption_n_4516304.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009

I am not shocked that the pope is shocked.

[pnwmom]

1. So some right wing Bishop claims the Pope was "shocked."

I'm sure the Pope didn't favor the bill. But I doubt that he was so out of touch with political reality that he was "shocked." That's just hyperbole from the right-wing Bishop.

[PeaceNikki]

3. I doubt the Bishop will be censured for using it to turn his Christmas homily into 'gays suck'.

Yet the US nuns were for not being 'the gays suck' enough.

[SidDithers]

2. DU rec for the truth about Pope Photo-Op...nt

Sid

[Octafish]

4. At least he's brought up wealth inequality and trickle-down economics.

When have you brought up wealth inequality and trickle-down economics, SidDithers?

[PeaceNikki]

5. Ratz railed against capitalism, too. Nothing fresh and exciting from the pope there.

[pnwmom]

8. He whispered against capitalism. Pope Francis is doing everything he can

to shift the focus from Ratzinger's priorities -- abortion and sexuality -- to economic justice.

Paul Ryan could pretend to be a Catholic under Ratzinger. He's having a lot more trouble under Francis.

[SidDithers]

7. Damn you BFEE!!...

Sid

[rug]

13. Your "truth" relies on a columnist for The Telegraph and hearsay from a protege of Benedict.

Although I'll give you this; your new found reliable bishop is Canadian. It's inconceivable he would spin words for a political purpose.

[SidDithers]

16. Hey, remember that whole Illinois Catholic Charities gay adoption lawsuit?...

it's really no surprise that the Catholic Church thinks gay couples are unfit parents.

And, Pope Photo-Op is the head of the Church...

Sid

[rug]

20. I didn't know the Auxiliary Bishop of Malta was involved in that lawsuit.

Yes, of course I know that lawsuit. They dropped it two years ago. THAT was an example of PR that rightly blew up in their face.

But this reply is about a reckless belief that suits your antipathy.

BTW, you should come up with something better than repeating "Pope Photo-Op" anytime mentions the weather in Rome.

[SidDithers]

22. I do it 'cause I know the Host of the Catholic Group likes it...nt

Sid

[rug]

23. You do it because your repertoire is quite limited.

[MADem]

6. This guy is the Ted Cruz of the Vatican....born in Canada! Went to Malta as a child....

He was apparently a favorite of Ratzinger...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_J._Scicluna

That leads me to suspect that he might not be quite such a favorite of this new guy....

[PeaceNikki]

10. Yeesh, part of the abuse 'investigations', too.

[SomethingFishy]

9. DU'ers SHOCKED that religious leader is anti-gay

This is beyond crazy. I notice you didn't dig up every anti-gay statement Obama made when he was against gay marriage. Maybe you ought to give the Pope some time to break out of 3000 years of Church Dogma the way you gave Obama time to break from his.

Damn I never thought I'd be defending the Church or the Pope. Can't stand either of them.

What was it you folks like to say? "You can't let perfect be the enemy of the good" or some such thing...

[NYC Liberal]

14. Show me quotes where Obama said adoption by gay

couples was child abuse. Where he said same-sex marriage was an evil Satanic plot. Show me that he ever believed homosexuality was a mental disorder. Or where he stated gay folks should remain celibate. All of those are the official positions of the pope and the Church.

The comparison is absolutely laughable. Even before he finally came around on marriage equality, he still supported civil unions -- this pope doesn't even support that. Francis has attacked and slandered us and our families with disgusting hate speech.

By the way, plenty of people here (and out in the "real world&quot were calling out Obama on the marriage issue -- all the freaking time. It was kind of a big deal for a long time.

[SomethingFishy]

18. So now we are on to levels of homophobia...

Obama is good because he's not nearly as homophobic as the pope.

The truth is I'm getting tired of debating people I agree with. Don't like the pope or the church but I like his comments on austerity. I guess that makes me the enemy on DU.


Pssst. I'm not your enemy.

[NYC Liberal]

21. Yes. Unless you are claiming Obama and Fred Phelps

were on the same level. If you are, that is patently absurd. Think of it this way. If you're trying to convince people to support marriage equality, who are you going to focus your energy on? Someone like pre-2012 Obama, or Pat Robertson?

I like what the pope has said about economics too. But all of them say that. Yes he's a contrast image-wise to the last guy, but look at ALL of the recent popes and he's nothing special.

[PeaceNikki]

15. Did you read the whole OP or just the headline?

I am not shocked at his opinion, I am shocked that Democrats think this man is a hero.

Also, Obama did not make 'anti-gay statements'. Obama was always supportive of LGBT, but not always of gay marriage. And yes, we all held his feet to the fire.

I'll stop giving a shit about the pope's bigoted hateful and dangerous opinions when he and the RCC stop trying to take away the rights of women and LGBT.


Laugh away, fishy. It's fucking hilarious that these assholes work to keep unwanted children being born and then without loving homes.

[SomethingFishy]

17. I read the OP and the story at the link..

And I don't see anyone calling him a "hero". I see people agreeing with his stance on Austerity and getting beat up for it because he has shitty anti-gay views.

I have a gay son, I have raised him to love himself the way he was born. So we have much at stake here. He also happens to think this Pope is a huge step forward. I don't see why this needs to be a divisive issue. Have you not heard the statement "We can't let the Perfect be the enemy of the good" Because it was beat into my fucking head every time I disagreed with Obama.


And I am laughing at the absurdity of all this. You brought up did I read the whole OP. Yeah I did I also followed the links.. Did you? because I found out the your headline about the pope being shocked is actually one persons opinion of how the pope reacted.

The world is going into the shitter and DU's idea of fixing it is to divide us up even more.

I am the churches biggest enemy. All I have to say is this pope is way better than the last 3. Is he still an asshole? Yes. Does he still protect child abusers? Yes.
Is he RIGHT ON AUSTERITY? YES HE IS AND NO AMOUNT OF COMPLAINING IS GOING TO CHANGE THAT.

[PeaceNikki]

19. Yet your fist reply to me started "DUers shocked..."

Missed the last line of my OP.

To the rest of your post... meh.

[Barack_America]

11. Possibly, but I prefer to hear about policy positions first hand.

If this is truly the Pope's position, I will of course be disappointed.

[PeaceNikki]

12. He thinks gay adoption is a form of discrimination against children.

“[T]he Argentine people will face a situation whose outcome can seriously harm the family," he wrote to the four monasteries in Argentina. "At stake is the identity and survival of the family: father, mother and children. At stake are the lives of many children who will be discriminated against in advance, and deprived of their human development given by a father and a mother and willed by God. At stake is the total rejection of God’s law engraved in our hearts.”

He went on to describe it as a "‘move’ of the Father of Lies who seeks to confuse and deceive the children of God" and asked for lawmakers to "not act in error." In John 8:44, the Father of Lies is the devil.

Argentina approved same-sex marriage in 2010, making it the first Latin American country to legalize the union, the New York Times previously reported. The country is also progressive when it comes to contraception. President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has promoted free contraception and artificial insemination, the Associated Press notes. In the past, Francis has clashed with the Argentinean government over his stance on these issues.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/13/pope-francis-gay-marriage-anti_n_2869221.html

[edhopper]

24. Meet the new boss

same as the old boss.